Syllabus for CSIT 321:
Client Support Systems

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Contact Information
Thomas E. Blum
Office: H-133
Office Hours:  M-W-F 9:00-9:50, W-R 2:00-3:00, or by appointment
Phone: 215-951-1139
e-mail: blum@lasalle.edu
Web: http://www.lasalle.edu/~blum
Department office: Holroyd 123
Department phone: 215.951.1130

Topics: Installation, maintenance, and customization of a PC client operating system (OS), additional system and application software; hardware installation. Survey of OS utilities, services, and settings, including command-line instructions, menus, start-up processes, purposes of essential OS files, browser options, the task manager, the registry, firewall, etc. Certain aspects of professionalism and job searching.

Section & credits

 Section: 31
Credits: 3

Meetings (Time and Place)

 Mondays and Wednesday at 3:30 in Holroyd 120

Holidays:
Martin Luther King: Monday, Jan. 19
Midsemester break: March 2-6
Easter: Monday, April 6

Other important dates:
Classes start: Monday, Jan. 12
Midsemester grades due: March 16
Last day to withdraw: March 31
Classes end: May 1
Finals week: May 4-8

Relevant e-book (recommended not required): Microsoft Windows 8 administration William R. Stanek, Microsoft Press, 2012

(These books are available as part of the library's Safari On-line collection. Go to the library catalog webpage and do a keyword search on "safari e-book".)

Course Calendar Link

 http://www.lasalle.edu/~blum/c321-cal-s15.htm

Learning Objectives

 Students should be able to:
  • Install a Linux/Ubuntu client operating system.
  • Install a Windows client operating system.
  • Install applications.
  • Utilize technical vocabulary.
  • Use basic commandline instructions.
  • Operate system monitoring tools.
  • Manage local user accounts.
  • Customize settings, e.g. firewalls and browser settings.
  • Discuss the client-server model, e.g. in a webpage context.
  • Communicate technical instructions to a user.
  • Summarize current Information Technology news articles.
  • Discuss issues of professionalism and job seraching.

Assessment:

 There will be weekly labs and/or classwork as well as weekly homework. There will be two exams, a project and a final. The various components of the course will be weighted as follows:

      Homework: 14%
      Lab/Class: 28%
      Tests: 32%
      Project: 10%
      Final: 16%
  • The plus/minus grading system will be used.
  • Attendance will be taken.
  • Absences, lateness, inattention, etc. will be factored into the lab/class component of the grade.
  • Over three unexcused absences may result in the reduction of your final grade.
  • Unless stated otherwise, lab reports are due the week after the lab. Labs submitted after the test on the relevant material will not be eligible for full credit. Similarly, homework assigned two weeks before a test must be submitted before the test to be eligible for full credit.
  • All tests are cumulative, though they will tend to focus on and give more weight to the new material.
  • It is your responsibility to keep copies of all of your assignments, tests and so forth at least until you receive your final grade for the course.

Classroom Behavior:

While in the classroom, students should behave in a manner that is neither distracting to nor disrespectful to the professor or other students. Cell phones should be turned off.

Cheating:

 When using materials from a book, website, etc., the source must be cited, otherwise it is considered plagiarism. Claiming another's work as your own is cheating. A student caught cheating will receive a score of zero. Repeated cheating can result in a failing grade for the course. Asking another for help on a step or two in a many step homework is acceptable; handing in duplicate or nearly duplicate work is not. If you require a significant amount of assitance, you should seek my help. Finally, openly allowing your work to be copied is also cheating.

http://www.lasalle.edu/students/dean/divpub/manuals/sgrrr/index.php?accordion_num=2&vn2_accordion_num=3&content=policies&anchorID=inte (Academic Integrity Policy)
http://www.lasalle.edu/students/dean/divpub/manuals/sgrrr/index.php?accordion_num=2&vn2_accordion_num=3&content=policies&anchorID=dish (Academic Dishonesty)

Some Tutoring

 Tutoring for various subject areas (70+ courses) is available for La Salle undergraduates. Subject tutors help students identify what as well as how to learn, clarify course content, and help students understand their strengths and weaknesses regarding the subject matter. Students should take advantage of tutoring at the first indication of difficulty in a course or whenever they wish to improve their performance or knowledge in a course, for example, to improve grades or to maintain high grades. Students can make tutoring appointments through GradesFirst located under Tools in the mylasalle portal. For students who have created their own study groups but would like a tutor to assist the group with the material, “facilitated study groups” can be arranged. For more information, contact Kitty Kaar at 215.951.1822 or kaar@lasalle.edu

The Department of Mathematics and Computer Science sometimes has "walk-in" computer science tutoring available. If available the time and place will be announced.

Academic Skills Workshops

 Academic Skills Workshops are offered face to face and online on a variety of topics such as study strategies, documentation styles, test taking, group study, and time management. A number of workshops are also archived online so students are advised to go to www.lasalle.edu/portal/learningsupport for workshop descriptions, dates, and times. Additional academic resources are available online as well. For more information, contact Mary Robertson at robertso@lasalle.edu or Jaime Longo at longoj@lasalle.edu

Student Resources

 https://lasalle.instructure.com/courses/1772 includes links to
  • Student Guide to Resources, Rights and Responsibilites
  • Academic Integrity Policy
  • American Disabilities Act
  • IT Help Desk Support
  • Academic and Learning Support Services
  • Library

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